Friday, November 20, 2015

What You Need To Know About Flu Shots DC

By Mattie Knight


More than 660,000 people live in Washington, DC, the nation's capital. The population density in this bustling city is more than 10,000 in a square mile. You don't need to be an expert to realize that flu shots DC are a necessity. Who would govern the country if everyone in the capital happened to be debilitated by a communicable disease for a week or more out of every 12 months.

Each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), anything from 3,000 to almost 50,000 individuals die as the result of an infection with influenza. Countless other people proceed to develop long-time problems with their respiratory systems. Influenza may be complicated by infections of viral or bacterial origin, including in the sinuses.

Because influenza is caused by a virus, it cannot be controlled by antibiotics or other types of drug. It can, however, be contained by immunization. People who get the jab every year either do not experience the disease or, if they do get it, it is much less serious than if they had not been immunized. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that people at risk get immunized every year.

Except for the rare individual meeting certain specific criteria, anyone older than six months of age is strongly urged to have a vaccination every year. Some people are at a higher risk of complications or a more serious case of influenza than the general population. This high-risk group includes pregnant women, seniors over the age of 65, and children under five years old. Natives of Alaska and American Indians also appear to be at an elevated risk of flu complications and are also advised to have the jab.

Influenza vaccinations are also recommended for people who have certain medical conditions. These are people with chronic lung problems such as cystic fibrosis, asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Also, anyone with a compromised immune system or disorders of the liver or kidney fall into this category. Kids who are not yet 19 years old but who have been taking long-term aspirin should also receive the jab, as should anyone with a Body Mass Index (BMI) that is higher than 40.

Any high profile medical issue attracts certain misconceptions and the influenza vaccination is no exception. One popular myth doing the rounds is that pregnant women need permission from their regular doctor if they want to get the injection at a workplace clinic, pharmacy or anywhere else but their local doctor's office. This is not the case.

Another popular myth is that people can get the actual influenza disease when they have the vaccination. This myth originates from the fact that some vaccines contain viral particles. However, when present, these viruses have been inactivated so it is completely impossible to get the disease from the vaccine. Occasionally, people experience flu-like side effects like an elevated temperature, headache and muscular aches and pains.

Diarrhea, nausea and vomiting are often mistakenly referred to as the "stomach flu." While true influenza may introduce these symptoms as a side effect, in and of themselves they are not caused by an influenza virus.




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